Director of On Air and Third Party Fundraising

Position Summary

The Director of On-air and Third Party Fundraising leads the strategy, planning, and execution of KQED’s audio-driven fundraising and third-party programs. With deep expertise in audio and membership programs, this role is responsible for designing and producing the radio membership drives and developing a year-round calendar of membership promotions across radio and TV. This role will also be tasked with looking at future initiatives and innovations in the fundraising ecosystem.

Essential Functions

• Audio Fundraising Strategy & Membership Drive Execution

• Own the annual audio fundraising strategy, encompassing on-air pledge drives, podcast integrations, app presence, and broadcast spot campaigns.
• Plan, produce, and direct all radio pledge drives to meet or exceed revenue and donor acquisition goals.
• Develop and manage all drive materials, including messaging frameworks, scripts, segment rundowns, and production schedules.
• Oversee staff scheduling, live talent coordination, and host/producer training for on-air pledge programming.
• Cook up and coordinate pre- and post-drive messaging, including spot production, cross-channel promotion, and post-drive reporting.

• Membership Promotion Strategy for TV & Radio

• Lead the development of an annual membership promotion strategy that defines what on-air promotional content — spots, interstitials, and campaigns — should be produced for both radio and TV.
• In collaboration with Programming, determine the right mix, cadence, and messaging for membership promotions across broadcast channels throughout the year.
• Oversee or directly produce radio membership spots; coordinate with TV production teams to ensure television membership promos are strategically aligned and properly resourced.
• Maintain and manage the monthly radio spot schedule, ensuring placement reflects current fundraising priorities and campaign moments.

• Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Partner with Programming and News leadership to balance editorial priorities with fundraising needs across the broadcast schedule.
• Coordinate with the Development team to align major donor gift opportunities with on-air campaign messaging.
• Work closely and collaboratively to align audio and digital campaign strategies, share audience insights, and coordinate campaign timing and messaging.
• Ensure audio fundraising efforts amplify and are amplified by digital campaigns (email, social, web), particularly around major drive moments.
• Coordinate with Product, Data, and Analytics teams to ensure audio-driven donor journeys connect properly to digital donation tools (e.g., Pledge-Free Stream, digital donor card).
• Manage relationships with external vendors and freelance contributors for campaign production, talent, and creative services.

• Campaign Analysis & Reporting

• Create and maintain regular performance reports evaluating campaign outcomes, including revenue, donor counts, gift averages, and cost-per-acquisition.
• Deliver post-campaign assessments with actionable insights to inform future audio and promotional strategy.
• Manage budget development and tracking for drive-related revenue and expenses.

• Culture & Leadership

• Foster a collaborative, creative, and mission-driven work environment within the Membership team.
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement in audio fundraising and promotional approaches.

Candidate Qualifications

• Professional Background

• 7+ years of experience in public media fundraising, audio production, broadcast programming, or a closely related field.
• Proven success in managing on-air fundraising campaigns or similar broadcast-based fundraising/revenue initiatives.
• Strong track record of developing effective messaging and marketing strategies across audio and digital platforms.
• Visionary thinker with the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans for audio-first fundraising.
• Experience in fostering a collaborative, mission-driven culture with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
• Deep understanding of public media fundraising principles, audience behavior, and campaign strategy.
• Proficiency in project management, including staff scheduling, timeline development, and cross-team coordination.
• Experience with audio production workflows, broadcast spot scheduling, and promotional messaging development.

• Audio & Messaging Expertise

• Experience in managing and producing audio fundraising campaigns.
• Knowledge of public media fundraising principles and audience behavior.
• Ability to develop and manage audio and digital fundraising materials.
• Proficiency in project management, including staff scheduling, timeline development, and cross-team coordination.
• Experience with audio production workflows, broadcast spot scheduling, and promotional messaging development.

• Collaboration & Partnership

• Demonstrated ability to work as a peer partner across teams — particularly with digital, programming, development, and product functions.
• Experience collaborating with or alongside digital acquisition or marketing teams to align campaign strategies.
• Skilled at managing external vendors and freelancers to deliver high-quality work on time and within budget.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling fundraising messaging and facilitate cross-functional alignment.

• Analytical & Operational Skills

• Proficiency in project management: staff scheduling, timeline development, cross-team coordination.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and data tools for donor tracking, performance analysis, and campaign reporting (ROI Solutions preferred).
• Comfort interpreting campaign data and translating findings into strategic recommendations.

• Mission Alignment

• Deep commitment to the values and mission of public media, including service to diverse communities and audiences.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift a minimum of fifteen (15) pounds.
• Ability to stand and/or sit for extended periods.
• Ability to bend, stoop, stretch, twist, sit, and reach.
• Fine motor skills; good visual and auditory acuity.

Note

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may be required to perform other related duties as necessary to meet the ongoing needs of this organization.